5 Years
by mocca93
Summary: Set five years after the war. The fatal bomb never killed Prim and Katniss chose differently, because she was always meant to be with the boy with the snares. Fluffy oneshot that scans all five years. Rated M for lemon at the end.


It had been five years since whole Panem had defeated the Capitol. Five years since someone had called me "Mockingjay". 5 years since I had chosen Gale.

...

Thinking back to this moment always made me smile, although it hadn't really been a very happy moment. I was sitting in a large room, awaiting trial for the assassination of President Coin. Suddenly the door opened and Gale entered the room. He looked pale, worn out from all the missions and hype that had been going on recently. The dark rings under his eyes were even more prominent than after his work at the mines, but I guessed his face was just reflecting mine. I flinged myself into his arms, burying my head in his neck. I hadn't seen him since I begged him to shoot me, right after I had shot the last arrow of the war.

"Hi Catnip."

"Hi."

For a while we just sat there in silence, holding hands. While I was leaning on him I realized that I had to make a decision. Everything else wouldn't have been fair. Neither to Peeta nor to Gale nor to me. I was lost in my thoughts until a warm soft touch on my cheek brought me back to reality.

"Catnip, I-I have to leave now. Trial starts in a couple of minutes." Gale ran his fingers over my cheek again and stood up. I took his hand and stopped him.

"Gale?"

"Hm?"

"Will you have my back?", I asked him. Deep inside I knew that it wasn't even necessary to ask. But the war had changed us. Both of us. I doubted that things between us would ever be the same. It was impossible that we would ever have this uncomplicated friendship again. I nervously stared at him, awaiting his reaction.

A smile appeared on Gale's face, then he whispered "Always."

...

Our lips crashed together and I wrapped my arms around his neck while he pulled me closer. The kiss was soft yet full of passion, but it was better than everything I had ever experienced. After we had broken apart, I looked into his grey eyes and smiled. I knew that Gale and I were both far too similar, but I guessed this was exactly the point why we understood each other like no one else did.

Before Gale left the room he turned round again and smiled. "No matter what happens today, just remember that I love you."

_Remember, I… _These two words were echoing in my mind and I immediately knew why they sounded so familiar.

Gale seemed to sense my realization. "I am glad I finally had the chance to finish this sentence."

I stepped closer and took his hand. "Me too. Because I-I…" Suddenly I started stuttering. Damn, that couldn't be so hard! "Because I love you, too."

He kissed me again, this time only for a second. "Break a leg then. I will see you after the trial."

I nodded and with that he was gone. A small smile appeared on my face. At our next meeting I would finally be free…

...

**Two years later**

I was walking up and down nervously in my small room in the Justice Building of District Twelve. It was the same room as the one I had been brought into after the Reaping for the 74th Hunger Games, but this time everything was different. The sun was nearly bursting through the windows and also the occasion was much happier.

"Calm down, Katniss, everything is going to be great", Prim said and took my hand.

I sighed. "I know, little duck, but a simple toasting would have been perfect as well. Just you, mum, Gale, the Hawthornes and I. Was it really necessary to invite all these people?"

Prim didn't have a chance to reply, because someone clearing his throat in the back of the room interrupted us.

...

"Could the best man have a minute with the gorgeous bride?"

"Sure!" Prim kissed me on the cheek and left the room.

"It's been a long time, sweetheart", the young man with bronze hair and sea green eyes said and opened his arms.

I didn't hesitate and hugged him. "I missed you, Finnick."

"Missed you, too", Finnick replied and ran his hand over my hair.

"You know, I am still glad you survived the war."

These words made him chuckle. "Well, they would have needed much more than a bunch of stupid mutts to bring down a man like me."

I rolled my eyes and grinned. "Sure, honey!"

We sat down on the sofa and suddenly he held something towards me.

"Want some sugar, sweetheart?"

In this moment I realized that he was still the boy I had met a couple of years ago.

"Sure, thank you", I took the small cube, "But I am still not going to tell you my secrets."

"Oh come on, it's your wedding day after all. "

...

There was a second knock on the door and Annie entered the room, holding her huge belly.

"Hi darling! Everything alright?", Finnick asked, a worried expression on his face.

She nodded. "Sure, I just came to tell you that Haymitch is already waiting outside. We can start now." Then she gave me a kiss on my cheek. "You look stunning, Katniss."

"Oh, thank you. You look great as well. How is little Finn?"

"He is fine. Peeta and Delly are keeping him busy at the moment."

"Yeah, he adores them", I answered. In fact little Finn was the cutest toddler I have ever met – except Prim and Posy, of course.

"Not as much as his favourite aunt, though." Annie gave me a wink and left again.

...

"Alright. Ready to get married, sweetheart?" Finnick offered me his hand and led me out of the room, where Haymitch was already waiting to give me away to the man I loved unconditionally. Gale.

...

**Three years later, present**

The sun slowly made its way up to sky and you could hear the first twitters of the birds. I was sitting on our rock, wrapped in Gale's arms with my back leaning on him. This place was the only thing that hadn't changed during the past few years. The air was much clearer hear than anywhere else and it was a good place to sort out my thoughts. I had been trying desperately to find a way to tell Gale the news for days now, but I still didn't have an idea.

"What are you thinking about?", Gale asked and softly kissed my hair.

"Just things." I turned round so that I was half lying on top of him and kissed him.

With my favourite smirk on his face he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. Then he started trailing kisses down my neck.

I ran my finger over his hair. "Honey?"

"Hm?"

I took a deep breath and forced myself not to chicken out. I just managed to whisper: "We are going to have a baby."

In an instance the kisses were gone. He just looked at me, unable to say a single word. I returned the glance, unsure how he'd react. On the one hand he had been trying to convince me to have a child for three years now, but he didn't know that we were…well…actually trying. I wanted it to be a surprise, but right now I wished I had told him. What if he was mad at me?

"Are you serious?" Even his voice was kind of cracking right now.

I nodded and suddenly I was met by the biggest smile I had ever seen on Gale's face.

"You have no idea how much I love you right now."

"So you're not mad at me?"

"Of course not. But you know, I wouldn't have minded being informed a little earlier."

I smiled at him, relieved that he was so happy about it. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

He nodded, grinning as well. "Well, you certainly succeeded in this point." Then he slowly flipped us over so that he could have a look at my stomach. "How far along are you?"

"Two and a half months. Actually mum said that I am due on September 16th."

He softly kissed me. "I really like this date."

"I know. It's your birthday, after all."

"Then let's hope that our little one is on time. This would be the best birthday present ever."

...

I cuddled up next to him, enjoying his warmth.

"How do you feel about it?", Gale whispered, caressing my cheek with his hand.

"I am fine. I mean, I am still a little scared as well, but I guess that's normal."

He nodded. "Sure. But there is really nothing you have to worry about. I won't let anything happen to you or the little one."

I took his hand and smiled. "I know."

...

At night I watched my husband as he was pulling off his clothes, climbing into our bed in nothing than his boxer shirts. All the years of hunting had definitely paid off. His arms were muscular and strong, his chest well defined. Only the scars on his back reminded us of all the injustice we had gone through.

"Night, honey."

"Good night."

Gale kissed me softly and wanted to back away, but I stopped him and deepened the kiss. I certainly had a different plan in my mind. I started caressing his chest, but he immediately took my hands and stopped me. I looked into his eyes and noticed what was wrong.

I sighed in frustration. "You won't touch me for the next couple of months, will you?"

"No. It's too risky."

"Gale, trust me. The baby will be perfectly fine."

"You can't say that for sure."

"Gale,…", I started again, but he interrupted me.

"No, Catnip. It took me three years to convince you to have a child and now that we are about to have one, I am not going to risk a thing. End of the discussion."

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Good night then."

I turned off the light and positioned myself comfortably on my side of the bed. Although it was dark I could tell that Gale was about to wrap his arm around me, exactly as he was used to do.

"Don't you dare do that," I warned him, causing him to stop.

"What?" Then he realized what I was playing at. "Oh good lord, you can't be serious about that."

"All or nothing, it's your choice."

He didn't say another word, but I could hear him moving back to his side. I guess he had made his decision.

...

Two hours later I was still rolling around in my bed restlessly. It felt strange not to fall asleep in his arms. Damn it, when did I become so dependent on Gale's embrace?

He was moving as well so he obviously hadn't found any sleep as well.

I sighed quietly. I really hated losing an argument. "Gale?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think wrapping your arm around me will hurt the baby?"

"No, of course not."

"Fine. Come here then."

In an instance I was softly wrapped in his arms and finally falling asleep. Gale might have won this argument, but I wasn't planning on giving up so easily.

...

Two weeks later I patiently waited until Gale was asleep. Then I slowly rolled on top of him and laid my lips on his.

"What are you doing?", he asked groggily.

"Kissing you?", I suggested and continued to kiss him.

"Katniss, I know what you are playing at, but it won't work."

"Honey, you should know by know that I always get what I want. And right now I want you", I said as huskily as I could, be he didn't show any sort of physical reaction.

"You can try, but you won't get me this time", Gale answered, a devilish grin on his face.

"Alright. Count me in."

...

I started kissing him passionately, exploring his mouth with my tongue. My hands were moving up and down his sides, touching his chest, his tights and his knees before caressing the scars on his back and moving downwards to his butt. He started to tense below me. His chest was rising more quickly then before. Satisfied I started taking care of his neck, placing kisses down to his collarbones and back to his neck. Gale's arms were still lying right next to him, but in the meantime he had begun to clench his fists slightly. Well, the rest shouldn't be too hard.

...

While I was trailing kisses down his chest I noticed that his breath was becoming more and more irregular. The knuckles of his hands were already white, because he clenched his fists so hard. Somehow I managed to find all his sensitive spots with hunter's precision, causing him to finally start moving.

"Damn it", he cursed and flipped us over so that he was hovering over me. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Our lips literally crashed together and we soon were kissing passionately. Now his hands were exploring my body, quickly getting rid of my nightgown and my underwear. When he softly ran his fingers over my breasts I wrapped my legs around his waist, finally making the space between us non-existent.

...

"One thing is for sure, you definitely know how to get my attention", Gale said as I was wrapped in his arms afterwards, his hand resting on my slightly swollen belly.

"Yeah, I guess I got you pretty good."

He chuckled. "That's really an understatement. I so got busted tonight."

I grinned, really satisfied with myself and placed my hand on his. "Well, in fact it wasn't as easy as I had thought it would be."

"Too bad that it's so hard to resist you."

"Is that so?", I asked, and turned round to play with the curls of his hair.

"You have no idea. Every single time I see you shooting an arrow with that small belly of yours I want to rip off your clothes and kiss you senseless."

My eyes widened with surprise. I have never heard Gale talking dirty like this, but I couldn't say I minded. Not at all, to be honest.

"Well, this sounds like a good plan for tomorrow", I answered and ran my hands over his waist as sensual as possible.

"Oh boy, why the hell did I have to come up with this?", Gale sighed.

"I don't know, but I am definitely glad you came up with it."

"I bet you are."

"So, what do you think about a second round?", I playfully asked, giving him a wink.

"HELL NO! I am glad I survived all your teasing tonight and I bet you won't be going easy on me tomorrow either. I have to collect my strengths", he complained.

"Good boy. Always taking care of your wife's cravings."

He rolled his eyes. "That's the least I could do, right?"

I smiled. "I bet you will think twice about asking me for a second child someday, won't you?"

Gale chuckled quietly. "Nah, I think I will cope with that."

"Fair enough." I moved closer to him and after a while I finally fell asleep in his arms…


End file.
